Eikmeier commits to Cyclones

[CyinCo]

Well said Riv...I am somewhat baffled by the doubters that still cling to the fears about the kind of players GMac will bring in. He has a 5 star in Brackins and very well thought of point in Garrett and when he offers a kid that is below the radar screen we get people complaining. I think with his first two commits he has earned the right to build his team the way he sees fit without all this griping

While some people are griping, I wasn't. I simply want to know WHY we went after him. What makes WE ISU material. The answer appears to be that he fills a 3-point threat role.

[benjay]

A 2:06 800 time is good, but it doesn't make him a track star, even by Iowa High School 1A standards. A track star runs it in under 2:00. Just wanted to clear that up.

That being said, I do believe McDermott can scout rising talent better than most of us. I say welcome aboard.

[BryceC]

He will be a bench warmer. He was being recruited by ISU, UNI, and Witchita State. Not a lot of competition for ISU to snatch this kid. But, hey, somebody needs to keep that bench warm, right? Why not Eikmeier?

This may be true, but Witchita State and UNI were exactly where ISU wanted to be last year: In the tournament.

I thought about Eikmeier last night as well, and he could be the kind of player that was UNI's PG last year. I don't remember his name, but he didn't have great stats or blow you away with fantastic moves, but he did control a game, didn't turn the ball over, and did exactly what McDermott wanted. This could be the role McD has planned for the kid.

[Wesley]

If Creighton and Dana Altman and Doc Sadler of Ne is recruiting him, he must be at top of list. Being a tenth grader, I look for a 180 pounder or more when he shows up in Ames. A smaller Adamn Haruska who can shoot better would be fine in my book. The reason why everyone is not so keen appears to be we know our weakness is the inside game. It is mnore difficult to fiund some people who play with authority on the inside than are willing to shoot it up from the outside.

No one mentions this, but: If it leverages the other offerees into near term signings, then it will have been worth the effort. Then McD can concentrate on the basketball season with all his recruits signed, booked and delivered. And we may not have to worry: will the pros drafting them, will they make grades, will they keep their commitments.

For the record, Nebraska players have done quite well in AAU tournaments around the country in the last three years. And Wes Wilkerson and two other Nebraska players from last year are probabaly playing in Europe this season along with Holman. Shooting also appears the ultimate downfall for the FIBA U S team again. Who would think Greece could beat US.

[ISUFan22]

This may be true, but Witchita State and UNI were exactly where ISU wanted to be last year: In the tournament.

I thought about Eikmeier last night as well, and he could be the kind of player that was UNI's PG last year. I don't remember his name, but he didn't have great stats or blow you away with fantastic moves, but he did control a game, didn't turn the ball over, and did exactly what McDermott wanted. This could be the role McD has planned for the kid.

And I think that's exactly what he will be.

G-Mac has the ability of taking kids that no one else wants...bringing them into UNI and making them solid basketball players.

Now...he's at ISU and in the Big 12...allowing him to recruit higher caliber players. We're starting to see that with some of the kids we're close to landing. Yet I don't expect G-Mac to stop getting guys like Eikmeier.

And again...we got him early...he's got 2 years left in HS to develop and grow in size. The staff obviously saw enough of him to get the commit before anyone else came snooping around.

Proactive...I like it.

[BryceC]

Maybe Wes isn't that skinny. The Hawkeyes just signed a kid that is 6'6", listed at 165 pounds. I mean honestly, that is extremely thin. I'm sure you guys have seen Bret Culbertson, and that kid is 6'5", 179. And he looks like he needs some Arby's as much as anybody.

[Oldgeezer]

6' 2" and 150# at age 15 is aceptable. When I was 15 and 6' 2" I weighed 125#. When I was 19 and 6' 2" I weighed 175# and I never lifted or worked on any form of body building, and I only ate what my Mom put on the table. That was 55 yeas ago, this kid could easily weigh 190 when he enrolls at ISU. Incidently, Fremont, Nebr. is about the size of Mason City, Iowa and three times the size of Charles City, Iowa. Horner and Brunner were from Mason City and Charles City. McGowen, the current UNI PG is from Fairbank, population less than 1000. Jared Reiner was from Tripp,South Dakota that nobody ever heard of. Where you came from doesn't matter.

[PsychedClone]

What we have here are a bunch of expert college Bball recruiters who really don't know $hit from apple butter. The kid is a track star AND a basketball player from a small rural community. The last track star/bball player recruited by ISU was Adam Haluska, and regardless of his loyalty, he is a damn good basketball player. Eikmeier is all-state as a soph and 6'2" and still growing. Stop stereotyping just because the kid is white and from a state that is not known for basketball. None of you have ever seen him play. When you experts get your first coaching job at the college level, then you can start picking recruits.

Geezer, sometimes your condescending attitude makes you sound like an opinionated old coot. While it's true that the majority of people who post messages are young, they have a right to their opinions. That's what forums are for.

Just for the record, since you seem to have all the answers, just how many years did you coach at the D1 college level?

That's what I thought.

[PsychedClone]

Where you came from doesn't matter.

True, but the level of competition that a player played against often does.

[clone33]

Just because we haven't heard of him and he's from the Midwest, doesn't mean he can't play. The kid is 6' 3" tall with a couple more years to grow before coming to ISU. He averaged 22 points as a sophomore, so he can score. If he's a smart player that comes into ISU at 6' 5" and can shoot from outside, I say it's a great pick up.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I stood at 6'. by the time i graduated, I was 6'4". No telling how much this kid will shoot up. maybe he can add 20-25 lbs. of muscle too.

[Oldgeezer]

You're right , Psyched, I am an opinionated old coot. Does this mean my opinion counts less than yours? For the record, I'm not the one questioning the ability of the coaching staff to pick recruits, I'm criticizing those that think they are better qualified than GMac to select recruits. I've got 50 years of experience on a lot of your experts, and one thing I've learned in those 50 years, "Under 30s" have no idea how much they don't know, therefore they think they know everything.

[PsychedClone]

You're right , Psyched, I am an opinionated old coot. Does this mean my opinion counts less than yours? For the record, I'm not the one questioning the ability of the coaching staff to pick recruits, I'm criticizing those that think they are better qualified than GMac to select recruits. I've got 50 years of experience on a lot of your experts, and one thing I've learned in those 50 years, "Under 30s" have no idea how much they don't know, therefore they think they know everything.

Better get used to it because you and I are two of the few old farts who frequent this site.

[mt85]

oldgeezer-I'm with you on this one. I'm pretty excited about this recruit. G-Mac isn't going to offer a kid before his junior season if he doesn't see something special.

When ISU got a commit from Kirk Hinrich after his sophmore season how many other offers did he have at the time? How many people thought he would be an NBA starter at the time?

I'm not saying WE is the next KH, but coaches don't offer kids this young unless they see something special. Welcome aboard Wes. I look forward to seeing you at ISU.

[BryceC]

What we have here are a bunch of expert college Bball recruiters who really don't know $hit from apple butter. The kid is a track star AND a basketball player from a small rural community. The last track star/bball player recruited by ISU was Adam Haluska, and regardless of his loyalty, he is a damn good basketball player. Eikmeier is all-state as a soph and 6'2" and still growing. Stop stereotyping just because the kid is white and from a state that is not known for basketball. None of you have ever seen him play. When you experts get your first coaching job at the college level, then you can start picking recruits.

If you're talking about me, that's fine. But YOU haven't seen him play either. Listen, I'm not doubting the kid because I have complete faith in McDermott until I'm proved wrong. I for one don't care what color the kid is or where he's from. Hell I'd love to have a team entirely populated by kids from Iowa. I just am surprised because it's a very early commit by a player, and other teams have gotten burned on early commits as well. Hell, Iowa signed a kid who was supposed to be the next big thing in JR Angle from Indiana and they redshirted him as a sophomore because he can't adjust to Big 10 play.

I wish the kid the best, and I hope he's a great student and athlete. Nobody doesn't want that for the kid or the program.

He could come to ISU 6'5" 190 for all I know. But I know when I was in high school, I was 6'2" as a freshman, and 6'2" when I graduated. I lifted weights my last two years of high school, and I weighed under 150 when I graduated. I just could not put on weight. Even now I bet I eat 5000 calories a day and I weigh under 170.

I think it's dumb to believe he won't put on weight and maybe grow a little bit. But I also think nothing is a given and he might not grow at all and he might now fill out much. I doubt these things, but THAT is why I am wary of early commits. I don't think because curious and cautious about it means I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I've worked on farms for five years, trust me when I say I'm very familiar with ****.

[cyclonekj]

If you're talking about me, that's fine. But YOU haven't seen him play either. Listen, I'm not doubting the kid because I have complete faith in McDermott until I'm proved wrong. I for one don't care what color the kid is or where he's from. Hell I'd love to have a team entirely populated by kids from Iowa. I just am surprised because it's a very early commit by a player, and other teams have gotten burned on early commits as well. Hell, Iowa signed a kid who was supposed to be the next big thing in JR Angle from Indiana and they redshirted him as a sophomore because he can't adjust to Big 10 play.

I wish the kid the best, and I hope he's a great student and athlete. Nobody doesn't want that for the kid or the program.

He could come to ISU 6'5" 190 for all I know. But I know when I was in high school, I was 6'2" as a freshman, and 6'2" when I graduated. I lifted weights my last two years of high school, and I weighed under 150 when I graduated. I just could not put on weight. Even now I bet I eat 5000 calories a day and I weigh under 170.

I think it's dumb to believe he won't put on weight and maybe grow a little bit. But I also think nothing is a given and he might not grow at all and he might now fill out much. I doubt these things, but THAT is why I am wary of early commits. I don't think because curious and cautious about it means I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I've worked on farms for five years, trust me when I say I'm very familiar with ****.

Suddenly, I like you a lot less.